A second “monolithic concrete pour” is set to take place on New Westminster’s waterfront in March.
City council has approved an exemption to the construction noise bylaw so Bosa Development can do a monolithic concrete pour for the creation of the foundation for the east tower of the Pier West development. The exemption would allow Bosa Development to do a one-night overnight concrete pour at 660 Quayside Dr.
“Bosa Development has confirmed that the monolithic pour of 4,500 cubic metres for the east tower core needs to occur as one single continuous event estimated to take approximately 24 hours,” said a report to council. “Bosa’s engineers report that the core footing needs to be a monolithic slab as it will be located below the water table due to its close proximity to the south Fraser River.”
According to a report to council, splitting the pour over two days isn’t recommended because it would result in a seam within the slab and introduce concerns regarding future water seepage issues due to hydrostatic pressures.
“The seam also would introduce a risk of water migrating into the elevator shaft,” said the report. “Those risks are eliminated by conducting one continuous pour.”
Bosa is hoping to begin the pour on Friday, March 11 at 6 a.m., which is one hour earlier than what’s allowed under the city’s construction bylaws. The pour would continue until 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, which is 13 hours after the end of permitted hours.
The exemption to the city’s construction noise bylaw allows the work to be done from 6 a.m. on March 11 until 9 a.m. on March 12. If weather prevents the work from being done at that time, the exemption allows the work to be done during those same hours on one of the following two weekends (March 18/19 or March 25/26).
“During the pour, there will be four concrete pump trucks located around the foundation of the area of the work site,” said the report. “Concrete will be supplied by approximately 19 concrete supply trucks per hour for a total load of 429 trucks during the duration of the entire concrete pour.”
Pier West, which will be one of the tallest waterfront residential properties in the Lower Mainland, will include 43- and 53-storey highrises. It will also include a three-storey commercial building that includes childcare and retail spaces, about two acres of park and open space, an extension to Westminster Pier Park, and a public plaza and esplanade space.
In October 2021, a monolithic concrete pour took place for west tower, which is the taller Pier West building.
A staff report outlined some of the transportation impacts impacting the area during the upcoming concrete pour. These include:
* Temporary closure of the 600 and 700 blocks of Quayside Drive to motor vehicles so concrete trucks and get to and from the site.
* Because of the increased truck traffic on Quayside Drive, a traffic control person will direct pedestrian traffic and ask cyclists to dismount in this area.
* The #103 bus route won’t have any bus stop closures but it could experience some minor delays because of additional congestion on Quayside Drive and the McInnis Street overpass.
* Begbie Street, south of Front Street, will be closed to motor vehicle traffic for the duration of the pour, as this is where concrete trucks will enter the site.
* In the event that trains are travelling through the area near the Begbie Street crossing, concrete trucks will detour and access the site via Stewardson Way, the Third Avenue overpass and Quayside Drive. (This is because it is “critical” that the monolithic concrete pour is continuous.)
* A traffic control person will be stationed at the intersection of K de K Court and Quayside Drive to direct customers and deliveries going to River Market.
In addition to sending out notifications to nearby residents and businesses, Bosa Development will be posting updates at www.660QuaysideDr.com.
